The Russian leadership is now pulling more air defense assets to Moscow, Valdai, and Putin’s bridge across the Kerch Strait – at the expense of air defense elsewhere. In the Moscow region alone, they have amassed hundreds of launchers for S-400, S-500, and Pantsir systems. Nearly 90 launchers have been redeployed to Valdai from other regions of Russia, and a special air defense division is also being formed there to safeguard the peace and quiet of the Russian chief. To compare, there are only a couple of launchers per direction across Russia and around their other cities. Those are their priorities. They are protecting their power – the source of this war. More than 60 Russian regions are already experiencing fuel shortages. There has also been a sharp increase in gas and diesel prices – if they are available at all. Russian security services have even proposed postponing or cancelling altogether the ritual of electing “United Russia” to the State Duma. Their latest imitation of elections was scheduled for September, and intelligence reports now show that Russia itself is not confident about what will be happening by September. There are many difficulties – all because Putin refuses to end his war and to hear our proposals for a meeting, genuine negotiations, and a dignified peace.(Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський)